Lauren Graham's Latest TV Gig Isn't What We Expected

Lauren Graham is a familiar face to many when it comes to the small screen thanks to her roles on Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. Now, she's landed a role that will bring her to a new network on a new show. She'll lend her voice to the upcoming animated series Vampirina, which will air on Disney Junior and feature the voices of a number of stars in addition to Graham.

Vampirina follows the story of a young vampire girl by the name of Vampirina, although she understandably goes by "Vee." She and her parents relocate from Transylvania to Pennsylvania to start over. Vee will have to find a way to blend in with her new peers without losing the sense of individuality that makes her who she is. Vee's parents -- who have the positively perfect names of Boris and Oxana Hauntley -- support their daughter while they run the Scare B&B, which is a bed and breakfast for goblins and ghouls visiting the area. Lauren Graham will voice Oxana Hauntley.

James Van Der Beek will play Boris Hauntley, with 12-year-old Isabella Crovetti of Colony voicing Vee for the series. Interestingly, a few side characters have been cast as well. Wanda Sykes will play Vee's loyal but occasionally cranky gargoyle sidekick, Gregoria. Vee's grandparents Nanpire and Grandpop will be played by Patti LuPone and Brian Stokes Mitchell, both of whom are Tony-award winners.

It's no coincidence that Vee happens to have a family of talented singers. Vampira will feature brand new original songs in every single episode, performed by the actual voice cast. Broadway composers Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond of The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes are responsible for the music. Not much is currently known about the songs, although Lauren Graham, James Van Der Beek, and Isabella Crovetti will perform the theme song. I'm hoping that the premiere features at least one showstopper with Vee's grandparents. We can't have the likes of Patti LuPone and Brian Stokes Mitchell on board without showstoppers!

The new show is inspired by the children's book series Vampirina Ballerina, and it has a pretty solid recipe for success. On top of the big names of the voice cast and the Broadway vets as composers, other Disney Junior talent will be hard at work behind the scenes. Chris Nee and Norton Virgien of Doc McStuffins are on board, as well as Nicky Phelan of Octonauts.

Although Disney Junior has not yet announced an exact premiere date for Vampirina, we can expect to see it hit the airwaves at some point this fall. Our summer TV premiere schedule and 2017 Netflix premiere guide can point you to some of what you can watch in the meantime... or if an animated series about a vampire family isn't your thing. Lauren Graham will be appearing in live action in the not-too-distant future in the new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.